Control device, program, system, and method

ABSTRACT

Provided is a control device including a location information reception unit which receives, via a communication device, location information of a user terminal from the terminal in a wireless communication area, a detection device control unit which controls a detection device of a flying object to detect a state of a region including a location indicated by the location information, a detection information reception unit which receives, via the communication device, detection information indicating the state, an unmanned aerial vehicle control unit which controls an unmanned aerial vehicle to capture an image around the location by an image capturing unit of the vehicle based on the detection information, a captured image reception unit which receives a captured image captured by the image capturing unit from the vehicle, and a rescue method decision unit which decides a rescue method of rescuing a user of the terminal based on the image.

The contents of the following patent application(s) are incorporatedherein by reference:

-   NO. 2020-202751 filed in JP on Dec. 7, 2020-   NO. PCT/JP2021/040406 filed in WO on Nov. 2, 2021

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a control device, a program, a system,and a method.

2. Related Art

Patent document 1 describes an air hovering type communication relaydevice which rapidly secures communication of a terminal device existingin a hazardous district or rapidly improves a communication situation ofa terminal device existing in a hazardous district.

LIST OF CITED REFERENCES Patent Document

-   Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No.    2019-047467

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example of a system 10.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an example of a functionalconfiguration of a control device 400.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an example of a functionalconfiguration of an unmanned aerial vehicle 300.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for describing processing of changing awireless communication area 122 to be formed by a flying object 100.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an example of unmanned aerial vehicleinformation.

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates an example of a flow of processing bythe control device 400.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates an example of a hardware configurationof a computer 1200 functioning as the control device 400.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Exclusively for smartphone users present in a service area under an HAPS(High Altitude Platform Station) dispatched in emergencies for hazardresponse, a system 10 according to the present embodiment may be able toidentify locations of those who need a rescue by regularly aggregatinglocation information of smartphones on a particular server to be sharedwith emergency agencies via a dedicated application downloaded withconsent by the users. A scheme provided by the system 10 can also beapplied to a user in a state of being unable to make an emergency callon your own, and a user who is required to inform emergency agenciesagain of the location information along with move of a primaryevacuation site. By using a camera mounted to the HAPS, the system 10also records a disaster situation in the vicinity of the correspondinglocation information as video or an image to be provided to theemergency agencies or the like, and also contributes to facilitation ofrescue activities.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodimentsof the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit theinvention according to claims. In addition, not all of the combinationsof features described in the embodiments are essential to the solutionof the invention.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an example of a system 10. The system10 according to the present embodiment includes a flying object 100 anda control device 400. The system 10 may include an unmanned aerialvehicle 300. The system 10 may include a radio base station 50. Thesystem 10 may include a gateway 500. The system 10 may include acommunication satellite 60. The system 10 may include a user terminal200.

The system 10 provides a technology contributing to a rescue of a user250 who possesses the user terminal 200. The user 250 is, for example, adisaster victim in a hazard such as an earthquake or a fire. The user250 may be a distressed person who is distressed in a mountain, sea, orthe like. In particular, the system 10 produces an effect for an areawhere a wireless communication service by the radio base station 50 on aground is stopped. In FIG. 1 , a case covering a disaster district wherethe provision of the wireless communication service by the radio basestation 50 on the ground is stopped will be mainly described as anexample.

The flying object 100 has a main wing portion 101, a main body portion102, propellers 104, a solar cell panel 110, an antenna 112, an antenna114, and a detection device 116. The main body portion 102 has acommunication device 150, and a battery and a flight control devicewhich are not illustrated in the drawing. The battery stores electricpower generated by the solar cell panel 110. The flight control devicecontrols flight of the flying object 100. The flight control devicecauses the flying object 100 to fly by rotating the propellers 104 usingthe electric power stored in the battery, for example.

The communication device 150 forms a wireless communication area 122 byirradiation of one or more beams by using the antenna 112 to provide awireless communication service to the user terminal 200 in the wirelesscommunication area 122. The communication device 150 may establish aservice link with the user terminal 200 in the wireless communicationarea 122 by using the antenna 112. The communication device 150 mayestablish a feeder link with the gateway 500 on the ground by using theantenna 114. The communication device 150 communicates with the controldevice 400 via the gateway 500 and a core network 20. The communicationdevice 150 may be integrated with the flight control device.

The core network 20 is provided by a telecommunications carrier. Thecore network 20 may be compliant with any mobile communication system.The core network is compliant with a 5G (5th Generation) communicationsystem, for example. The core network may be compliant with a mobilecommunication system of a 6G (6th Generation) communication systemonwards. The core network may be compliant with a 3G (3rd Generation)communication system. The core network may be compliant with an LTE(Long Term Evolution) communication system.

When the communication device 150 cannot establish a feeder link withthe gateway 500 due to a reason that the gateway 500 is not located in awireless communication range based on the antenna 114 or the like, thecommunication device 150 may communicate with the control device 400through another communication path. For example, the flying object 100has an antenna for performing wireless communication with anothercommunication device 150 mounted to another flying object 100. By usingthe antenna, the communication device 150 establishes wirelesscommunication connection with the other communication device 150 whichhas established the feeder link with the gateway 500. The communicationdevice 150 may communicate with the control device 400 via the feederlink established by the communication device 150 of the other flyingobject 100. In addition, the flying object 100 may have an antenna forperforming wireless communication with the communication satellite 60.By using the antenna, the communication device 150 establishes wirelesscommunication connection with the communication satellite 60. Thecommunication device 150 may communicate with the control device 400 viathe communication satellite 60.

The flying object 100 provides the wireless communication service to theuser terminal 200 by flying in a stratosphere, for example. The flyingobject 100 may function as a stratospheric platform.

While circling around in the sky above an area of a coverage objective,for example, the flying object 100 covers the area by the wirelesscommunication area 122. In addition, for example, the flying object 100covers the entire region by moving in the sky above the area by coveringa part of the area of the coverage objective by the wirelesscommunication area 122.

The detection device 116 may be any device as long as the device candetect a state of a detection area 126. The detection device 116includes, for example, a camera. The camera is, for example, an RGBcamera. The camera is, for example, a multi-wavelength spectral camera.The multi-wavelength spectral camera is, for example, a multispectralcamera. The multi-wavelength spectral camera may be, for example, ahyperspectral camera. The camera is, for example, an infrared camera.The camera may be a thermal camera. By using the infrared camera and thethermal camera, the flying object 100 can detect the state of thedetection area 126 even at night. The camera may be an example of animage capturing device.

The detection device 116 may include an SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar).The SAR is a sensor which observes a state of the detection area 126 byirradiating an electromagnetic wave that is a millimeter wave or amicrowave and observing a reflected wave. The millimeter wave ormicrowave irradiated by the SAR has a long wavelength in comparison withthat of visible light, and can transmit through an obstacle such as acloud. In addition, the SAR does not require a light source unlike anordinary optical camera. Thus, by using the SAR, the flying object 100can detect the state of the detection area 126 even at night.

The user terminal 200 may be any terminal as long as the communicationterminal can communicate with the control device 400 via thecommunication device 150. For example, the user terminal 200 is a mobilephone such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a wearable terminal, andthe like.

The user terminal 200 has a functionality of acquiring locationinformation of the user terminal 200. The user terminal 200 acquires thelocation information of the user terminal 200 by using a GNSS (GlobalNavigation Satellite System) functionality, for example. The userterminal 200 transmits the acquired location information of the userterminal 200 to the control device 400 via the flying object 100.

The user terminal 200 may intermittently transmit the locationinformation of the user terminal 200 to the control device 400. Forexample, the user terminal 200 transmits the location information of theuser terminal 200 in a predetermined cycle to the control device 400.The user terminal 200 may change the cycle of transmitting the locationinformation of the user terminal 200 to the control device 400 accordingto a remaining battery level of the user terminal 200. For example, asthe remaining battery level is lower, the user terminal 200 may increasethe cycle of transmitting the location information of the user terminal200 to the control device 400.

The user terminal 200 may have a functionality of transmitting a rescuesignal including the location information of the user terminal 200 tothe control device 400. The rescue signal is a signal for requesting arescue in case of emergency. The rescue signal may include informationrelated to a state of the user 250 such as the presence or absence of aninjury. The user terminal 200 transmits the rescue signal to the controldevice 400 in response to an instruction of the user 250, for example.

The above mentioned functionality of the user terminal 200 may beachieved by an application installed in advance.

The unmanned aerial vehicle 300 has a camera 350. The unmanned aerialvehicle 300 has a battery which is not illustrated in the drawing. Theunmanned aerial vehicle 300 flies by using the electric power stored inthe battery, for example.

The camera 350 is, for example, an RGB camera. The camera is, forexample, a multi-wavelength spectral camera. The multi-wavelengthspectral camera is, for example, a multispectral camera. Themulti-wavelength spectral camera may be a hyperspectral camera, forexample. The camera 350 is, for example, an infrared camera. The camera350 may be a thermal camera.

The unmanned aerial vehicle 300 may have an antenna for performingwireless communication with the communication device 150 of the flyingobject 100. The unmanned aerial vehicle 300 establishes a wirelesscommunication connection with the communication device 150 by using theantenna. Thus, the unmanned aerial vehicle 300 can communicate with thecontrol device 400 via the communication device 150. The unmanned aerialvehicle 300 transmits a captured image captured by the camera 350 to thecontrol device 400 via the communication device 150, for example.

The unmanned aerial vehicle 300 may have an antenna for performingwireless communication with the communication satellite 60. The unmannedaerial vehicle 300 establishes a wireless communication connection withthe communication satellite 60 by using the antenna. Thus, the unmannedaerial vehicle 300 can communicate with the control device 400 via thecommunication satellite 60.

The control device 400 controls the flying object 100. The controldevice 400 controls the unmanned aerial vehicle 300.

The control device 400 controls the flying object 100 to provide awireless communication service to the user terminal 200, for example.The flying object 100 starts to provide the wireless communicationservice to the user terminal 200 according to the control by the controldevice 400. Subsequently, the control device 400 receives the locationinformation of the user terminal 200 from the user terminal 200 via thecommunication device 150.

The control device 400 controls the detection device 116 of the flyingobject 100 to detect a state of the detection area 126 including thelocation indicated by the location information of the user terminal 200which is received from the user terminal 200, for example. The detectiondevice 116 detects the state of the detection area 126 according to thecontrol of the control device 400. The control device 400 receives, viathe communication device 150, detection information indicating the stateof the detection area 126 which is detected by the detection device 116.

The control device 400 controls, based on the received detectioninformation, for example, the unmanned aerial vehicle 300 to capture animage around the location indicated by the received location informationof the user terminal 200 by the camera 350. The unmanned aerial vehicle300 moves to the location and captures the image around the location bythe camera 350 according to the control of the control device 400 totransmit the captured image to the control device 400.

The control device 400 decides a rescue method of rescuing the user 250based on the captured image of the camera 350 which is received from theunmanned aerial vehicle 300. The control device 400 transmits rescuemethod information indicating the decided rescue method to the userterminal 200 via the communication device 150. The control device 400may transmit the rescue method information to rescue agencies 600 viathe core network 20 and an Internet 40.

The control device 400 functions as MEC (Multi-access Edge Computing),for example. That is, the control device 400 may be an MEC server.

The control device 400 is installed on the ground, for example. Thecontrol device 400 is installed on the core network 20, for example.Thus, the control device 400 can achieve low latency of thecommunication with the unmanned aerial vehicle 300, and highly preciselycontrol the unmanned aerial vehicle 300. The control device 400 may beinstalled on the Internet 40. The control device 400 may be mounted tothe flying object 100.

The rescue agencies 600 rescue the user 250 of the user terminal 200according to the rescue method information received from the controldevice 400. The rescue agencies 600 rescue the user 250 by dispatchingrescue workers, for example. For example, the rescue agencies 600 rescuethe user 250 by instructing the rescue workers to transport the user 250to a safe location. The rescue agencies 600 may rescue the user 250 byinstructing the rescue workers to deliver a material.

In a conventional rescue system, in a disaster district where theprovision of the wireless communication service by the radio basestation on the ground is stopped, when the rescue method is to bedecided by taking a state of the disaster district into account, animage of the disaster district has been captured by using a helicopter.Since an image capturing range where an image can be captured by usingthe helicopter is relatively narrow, it has not been possible to rapidlygrasp a state of the entire disaster district when the disaster districtspreads in a wide range. In addition, it has not been possible tospecifically grasp a state around the disaster victim. In contrast, inaccordance with the system 10 according to the present embodiment, evenwhen the disaster district spreads in a wide range, it is possible torapidly grasp the state of the entire disaster district by the detectiondevice 116 mounted to the flying object 100 functioning as thestratospheric platform. In addition, in accordance with the system 10according to the present embodiment, by controlling the unmanned aerialvehicle 300 to capture the image around the location indicated by thelocation information of the user terminal 200 based on the detectioninformation indicating the state of the detection area 126, it ispossible to specifically grasp the state around the user 250 of the userterminal 200. In particular, when the detection device 116 detects thedisaster district, it is possible to specifically grasp a state of aregion the detection of which has been impossible by the detectiondevice 116 as being hidden under a shadow of an obstacle such as abuilding or the like or a region the specific detection of which hasbeen impossible by the detection device 116 as being affected by rain orthe like. Thus, the system 10 according to the present embodiment canmore rapidly and appropriately decide the rescue method as compared withthe conventional rescue system.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an example of a functionalconfiguration of the control device 400. The control device 400 includesa storage unit 402, a deactivated base station information receptionunit 404, a target point setting unit 406, a movement control unit 408,a communication device control unit 410, a location informationreception unit 414, an environment information reception unit 416, adetection device control unit 418, a detection information receptionunit 422, an unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424, a captured imagereception unit 428, a rescue method decision unit 430, a rescue methodinformation transmission unit 432, a disaster situation identificationunit 434, and an image capturing decision unit 436. Note that thecontrol device 400 does not necessarily include all of these components.

The storage unit 402 stores various types of information. The storageunit 402 stores unmanned aerial vehicle information related to theunmanned aerial vehicle 300, for example. The unmanned aerial vehicleinformation includes, for example, information indicating a waitinglocation of the unmanned aerial vehicle 300. The unmanned aerial vehicleinformation may include information indicating a performance of theunmanned aerial vehicle 300.

The storage unit 402 may store radio base station information related tothe radio base station 50. The radio base station information includes,for example, information indicating a location of the radio base station50. The radio base station information may include informationindicating a range of the coverage objective of the radio base station50.

The deactivated base station information reception unit 404 receives,from a radio base station management device which manages the radio basestation 50, deactivated base station information indicating the radiobase station 50 which stops providing the wireless communicationservice. The deactivated base station information reception unit 404stores the received deactivated base station information in the storageunit 402.

The target point setting unit 406 sets a target point of movement of theflying object 100. The target point setting unit 406 sets the targetpoint based on the radio base station information and the deactivatedbase station information which are stored in the storage unit 402, forexample.

The target point setting unit 406 sets, as the target point, a point atwhich the wireless communication area 122 can be formed in the range ofthe coverage objective of the radio base station 50 which stopsproviding the wireless communication service, for example. The targetpoint setting unit 406 sets the sky above the radio base station 50 asthe target point, for example. When a plurality of radio base stations50 which stop providing the wireless communication service exist, thetarget point setting unit 406 may set, as the target point, a point atwhich the wireless communication area 122 can be formed in a range ofthe coverage objectives of the plurality of radio base stations 50. Thetarget point setting unit 406 may set, as the target point, the skyabove a central location of each location of the plurality of radio basestations 50, for example.

The movement control unit 408 controls the movement of the flying object100. The movement control unit 408 controls the movement of the flyingobject 100 such that the flying object 100 moves to the target point setby the target point setting unit 406, for example.

The movement control unit 408 controls the movement of the flying object100, for example, by generating movement control information forcontrolling the movement of the flying object 100, and transmitting themovement control information to the flying object 100. The movementcontrol information may be information for controlling at least one of aflight altitude, a flight speed, or a flight direction of the flyingobject 100, for example.

The communication device control unit 410 controls the communicationdevice 150 of the flying object 100. The communication device controlunit 410 causes the communication device 150 to form the wirelesscommunication area 122 in response to arrival of the flying object 100to the target point set by the movement control unit 408, for example.The communication device control unit 410 controls the communicationdevice 150, for example, by generating communication control informationfor controlling the communication device 150, and transmitting thecommunication control information to the flying object 100. Thecommunication control information may be, for example, information forcontrolling a range of the beam irradiated by the antenna 112.

The communication device control unit 410 controls the communicationdevice 150 based on the radio base station information and thedeactivated base station information which are stored in the storageunit 402, for example. For example, the communication device controlunit 410 controls the communication device 150 to form the wirelesscommunication area 122 in a range of the coverage objective of the radiobase station 50 which stops providing the wireless communicationservice. When a plurality of radio base stations 50 which stop providingthe wireless communication service exist, the communication devicecontrol unit 410 may control the communication device 150 to form thewireless communication area 122 in a range of the coverage objectives ofthe plurality of radio base stations 50.

The location information reception unit 414 receives the locationinformation of the user terminal 200 from the user terminal 200 via thecommunication device 150 of the flying object 100. The locationinformation reception unit 414 stores the received location informationof the user terminal 200 in the storage unit 402. The locationinformation reception unit 414 may receive the rescue signal from theuser terminal 200. The location information reception unit 414 stores,in the storage unit 402, the location information of the user terminal200 which is included in the received rescue signal.

The environment information reception unit 416 receives environmentinformation from an environment information management device whichmanages environment information related to an environment at any spot.The environment information reception unit 416 stores the receivedenvironment information in the storage unit 402.

The environment information includes, for example, hazard informationrelated to a hazard. The hazard information includes, for example,disaster area information indicating a disaster area. The hazardinformation may include a hazard map. The environment information mayinclude weather information. The weather information includes at leastone of a rainfall, a snowfall, a wind speed, a wind direction, or atemperature.

The environment information reception unit 416 receives, for example,the environment information of the location indicated by the locationinformation of the user terminal 200 which is received by the locationinformation reception unit 414. The environment information receptionunit 416 may receive environment information of a location of the radiobase station 50.

The target point setting unit 406 may set the target point based on theradio base station information stored in the storage unit 402 and theenvironment information of the location of the radio base station 50.For example, the target point setting unit 406 identifies the devastatedradio base station 50 from the disaster area information, and sets, asthe target point, a point at which the wireless communication area 122can be formed in a range of a coverage objective of the identified radiobase station 50. The target point setting unit 406 may predict the radiobase station 50 which is to be devastated from the hazard map andweather information, and set, as the target point, a point at which thewireless communication area 122 can be formed in a range of a coverageobjective of the predicted radio base station 50.

The detection device control unit 418 controls the detection device 116of the flying object 100. The detection device control unit 418 controlsthe detection device 116, for example, by generating detection devicecontrol information for controlling the detection device 116, andtransmitting the detection device control information to the flyingobject 100.

The detection device control unit 418 controls the detection device 116based on the location information of the user terminal 200 which isreceived by the location information reception unit 414, for example.The detection device control unit 418 controls the detection device 116to detect the detection area 126 including the location indicated by thelocation information of the user terminal 200, for example. Thedetection device control unit 418 controls the image capturing device tocapture an image of the detection area 126, for example. The detectiondevice control unit 418 may control the SAR to detect a state of thedetection area 126.

Detection control information may be, for example, information forcontrolling at least one of pan, tilt, or zoom of the camera mounted tothe flying object 100. The detection control information may beinformation for controlling an irradiation location of theelectromagnetic wave to be irradiated by the SAR mounted to the flyingobject 100.

The detection information reception unit 422 receives detectioninformation indicating the state of the detection area 126 which isdetected by the detection device 116 via the communication device 150.The detection information includes the captured image of the detectionarea 126 which is captured by the image capturing device, for example.The detection information may include information indicating the stateof the detection area 126 which is detected by the SAR. The detectioninformation reception unit 422 stores the received detection informationin the storage unit 402.

The unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424 controls the unmannedaerial vehicle 300. The unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424 selectsthe unmanned aerial vehicle 300 to be controlled based on the unmannedaerial vehicle information stored in the storage unit 402 and thelocation information of the user terminal 200, for example.

The unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424 controls the movement ofthe unmanned aerial vehicle 300, for example. The unmanned aerialvehicle control unit 424 controls the camera 350 of the unmanned aerialvehicle 300, for example.

The unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424 controls the unmannedaerial vehicle 300, for example, by generating unmanned aerial vehiclecontrol information for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle 300, andtransmitting the unmanned aerial vehicle control information forcontrolling the unmanned aerial vehicle 300 to the unmanned aerialvehicle 300. The unmanned aerial vehicle control information may beinformation for controlling at least one of a flight altitude, a flightspeed, or a flight direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle 300, forexample. The unmanned aerial vehicle control information may be, forexample, information for controlling at least one of pan, tilt, or zoomof the camera 350.

The unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424 controls the unmannedaerial vehicle 300 to capture the image around the location indicated bythe location information of the user terminal 200 by the camera 350based on the detection information received by the detection informationreception unit 422, for example. For example, the unmanned aerialvehicle control unit 424 identifies a specific detection region which isrequired to be specifically detected by analyzing the detectioninformation, and controls the unmanned aerial vehicle 300 to capture theimage of the specific detection region by the camera 350. The specificdetection region is, for example, a region including a road. Thespecific detection region is, for example, a region including abuilding. The specific detection region may be a region including ariver.

The unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424 may identify an undetectedregion which is not detected by the detection device 116 by analyzingthe detection information, and control the unmanned aerial vehicle 300to capture the image of the undetected region by the camera 350. Theundetected region is, for example, a region hidden under a shadow of anobstacle such as a building. The undetected region may be a region thedetection of which can not be specifically performed by the detectiondevice 116 as being affected by rain or the like.

The captured image reception unit 428 receives the captured imagecaptured by the camera 350 from the unmanned aerial vehicle 300. Thecaptured image reception unit 428 stores the received captured image inthe storage unit 402.

The rescue method decision unit 430 decides a rescue method of rescuingthe user 250 of the user terminal 200 based on the captured imagereceived by the captured image reception unit 428. The rescue methoddecision unit 430 may decide the rescue method further based on theenvironment information of the location indicated by the locationinformation of the user terminal 200 which is stored in the storage unit402.

The rescue method decision unit 430 decides a movable object to be usedto rescue the user 250, for example. The movable object is a car, ahelicopter, a ship, or the like. The rescue method decision unit 430decides, for example, a movement path to be used to rescue the user 250.The rescue method decision unit 430 decides, for example, a shelter tobe used to rescue the user 250. The rescue method decision unit 430decides, for example, a number of rescue workers who rescue the user250. The rescue method decision unit 430 may decide a material to beused to rescue the user 250.

The rescue method decision unit 430 decides, for example, that the user250 is to move on the movement path. In this case, the unmanned aerialvehicle control unit 424 may control the unmanned aerial vehicle 300 tolead the user 250.

The rescue method decision unit 430 may decide that the movable objectis to move on the movement path. For example, the rescue method decisionunit 430 decides that the movable object is to move on the movement pathto transport the user 250 to a safe location. The rescue method decisionunit 430 may decide that the movable object is to move on the movementpath to deliver a material to a shelter.

The rescue method information transmission unit 432 transmits rescuemethod information indicating the rescue method decided by the rescuemethod decision unit 430. The rescue method information transmissionunit 432 transmits the rescue method information to the user terminal200 via the communication device 150, for example. The rescue methodinformation transmission unit 432 may transmit the rescue methodinformation to the rescue agencies 600.

The user terminal 200 prompts the user 250 to confirm the rescue methodinformation through display output of the rescue method informationreceived from the control device 400 on a display or through audiooutput thereof. The user 250 moves on the movement path or waits forarrival of the rescue workers according to the confirmed rescue methodinformation.

The disaster situation identification unit 434 identifies a disastersituation of the detection area 126 detected by the detection device 116based on the detection information received by the detection informationreception unit 422. The disaster situation identification unit 434identifies the disaster situation of the detection area 126 by analyzingthe detection information received by the detection informationreception unit 422, for example.

The disaster situation identification unit 434 identifies a disasterregion which is devastated out of the detection area 126 detected by thedetection device 116, for example. The disaster region is, for example,a severed road region where a road is severed. The disaster region is acliff failure region where a cliff failure occurs. The disaster regionis, for example, a river overflowing region where a river overflows. Thedisaster region is, for example, a ground liquefaction region whereliquefaction of the ground occurs. The disaster region may be a fireregion where a fire breaks out. The disaster situation identificationunit 434 may identify a road traffic situation of the detection area 126detected by the detection device 116. The disaster situationidentification unit 434 identifies a traffic jam region where a trafficjam on a road occurs, for example.

The communication device control unit 410 may control the communicationdevice 150 based on the disaster situation identified by the disastersituation identification unit 434. The communication device control unit410 controls the communication device 150 such that, for example, thewireless communication area 122 is not formed in a region where thedisaster situation does not satisfy a predetermined condition, but thewireless communication area 122 is formed in a region where thecondition is satisfied. The condition is, for example, an identificationas the disaster region by the disaster situation identification unit434.

The image capturing decision unit 436 decides whether an image aroundthe location indicated by the location information of the user terminal200 which is received by the location information reception unit 414 isto be captured based on the disaster situation identified by thedisaster situation identification unit 434. When the disaster situationof the location indicated by the location information of the userterminal 200 satisfies a predetermined condition, for example, the imagecapturing decision unit 436 decides that the image around the locationis to be captured. The condition is, for example, that the locationindicated by the location information of the user terminal 200 isincluded in the disaster region identified by the disaster situationidentification unit 434. The unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424may control the unmanned aerial vehicle 300 in response to the decisionby the image capturing decision unit 436 that the image around thelocation is to be captured.

A configuration may be adopted where the control device 400 does notinclude the movement control unit 408. In this case, the control device400 may transmit the target point set by the target point setting unit406 to an external device which controls the flying object 100. Theexternal device controls the movement of the flying object 100 such thatthe flying object 100 moves to the target point received from thecontrol device 400.

A configuration may be adopted where the control device 400 does notinclude the unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424. In this case, thecontrol device 400 may transmit the detection information received bythe detection information reception unit 422 and the locationinformation of the user terminal 200 which is received by the locationinformation reception unit 414 to the external device which controls theunmanned aerial vehicle 300. The external device controls the unmannedaerial vehicle 300 to capture the image around the location indicated bythe location information of the user terminal 200 by the camera 350based on the received detection information.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an example of a functionalconfiguration of the unmanned aerial vehicle 300. The unmanned aerialvehicle 300 includes a reception unit 302, a control unit 304, an imagecapturing unit 306, a detection unit 308, and a transmission unit 310.Note that the unmanned aerial vehicle 300 does not necessarily includeall of these components.

The reception unit 302 receives the unmanned aerial vehicle controlinformation from the control device 400. The reception unit 302 receivesthe unmanned aerial vehicle control information from the control device400 via the communication device 150, for example. The reception unit302 may receive the unmanned aerial vehicle control information from thecontrol device 400 via the communication satellite 60.

The control unit 304 controls the unmanned aerial vehicle 300 accordingto the unmanned aerial vehicle control information received by thereception unit 302. For example, the control unit 304 controls themovement of the unmanned aerial vehicle 300 to move to the locationindicated by the location information of the user terminal 200. Thecontrol unit 304 controls the camera 350 to capture an image around thelocation in response to the movement to the location. The control unit304 may control the unmanned aerial vehicle 300 to lead the user 250.

The image capturing unit 306 captures the image around the locationindicated by the location information of the user terminal 200. Thecamera 350 may be an example of the image capturing unit 306.

The detection unit 308 detects a state around the location indicated bythe location information of the user terminal 200. The detection unit308 is, for example, a radar.

The transmission unit 310 transmits various types of information to thecontrol device 400. The transmission unit 310 transmits the varioustypes of information to the control device 400 via the communicationdevice 150, for example. The transmission unit 310 may transmit thevarious types of information to the control device 400 via thecommunication satellite 60.

The transmission unit 310 transmits the captured image captured by theimage capturing unit 306 to the control device 400, for example. Thetransmission unit 310 may transmit, to the control device 400, thedetection information indicating the state around the location indicatedby the location information of the user terminal 200 which is detectedby the detection unit 308.

The captured image reception unit 428 may receive the detectioninformation from the unmanned aerial vehicle 300. The rescue methoddecision unit 430 may decide a rescue method further based on thedetection information received by the captured image reception unit 428from the unmanned aerial vehicle 300.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for describing processing of changingthe wireless communication area 122 to be formed by the flying object100. Herein, a description will be provided of the processing in a casewhere the wireless communication area 122 is changed such that only adisaster region in the detection area 126 is set as the coverageobjective based on a disaster situation of the detection area 126.

The disaster situation identification unit 434 identifies the disasterregion in the detection area 126 based on the detection informationindicating the state of the detection area 126 which is detected by thedetection device 116. The communication device control unit 410 controlsthe communication device 150 such that only the disaster regionidentified by the disaster situation identification unit 434 is set asthe coverage objective.

The communication device 150 controls the antenna 112 such that anirradiation range of the beam by the antenna 112 covers only thedisaster region identified by the disaster situation identification unit434 according to the control by the communication device control unit410. For example, the communication device 150 controls a size of theirradiation range or an irradiation direction of one or more beams ofthe antenna 112 to cover only the disaster region. When the antenna 112irradiates a plurality of beams, the communication device 150 maycontrol the antenna 112 to stop beam with which the disaster region isnot irradiated among the plurality of beams irradiated by the antenna112. Thus, the communication device 150 carries out the change to thewireless communication area 122 where only the disaster region is set asthe coverage objective.

In the processing illustrated in FIG. 4 , the wireless communicationarea 122 is changed to the disaster region identified by the disastersituation identification unit 434. Thus, while the provision of thewireless communication service is maintained to the user terminals 200in the disaster region where the prompt rescue is required, congestionof the network can be avoided by reducing a number of user terminals 200which communicate with the communication device 150 via the servicelink.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an example of the unmanned aerialvehicle information. The unmanned aerial vehicle information of FIG. 5includes waiting locations and performances of unmanned aerial vehiclesA to H. Herein, a description will be provided of the processing in acase where the control device 400 selects an unmanned aerial vehiclewhich captures an image around the location indicated by the locationinformation of the user terminal 200 from among the unmanned aerialvehicles A to H.

For example, the unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424 selects anunmanned aerial vehicle which captures the image around the locationindicated by the location information of the user terminal 200 fromamong unmanned aerial vehicles waiting in an airfield with a shortdistance between the location indicated by the location information ofthe user terminal 200 received by the location information receptionunit 414 and the airfield. Herein, it is assumed that a distance betweenthe location indicated by the location information of the user terminal200 and an airfield a is shorter than a distance between the locationindicated by the location information of the user terminal 200 and anairfield b. In this case, the unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424selects an unmanned aerial vehicle which captures the image around thelocation indicated by the location information of the user terminal 200from among the unmanned aerial vehicles A to D.

Then, the unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424 determines whetherthe distance between the location indicated by the location informationof the user terminal 200 and the airfield a is longer than apredetermined distance. When the distance between the location indicatedby the location information of the user terminal 200 and the airfield ais longer than the predetermined distance, the unmanned aerial vehiclecontrol unit 424 selects an unmanned aerial vehicle which captures theimage around the location indicated by the location information of theuser terminal 200 from among unmanned aerial vehicles to which a largecapacity battery is mounted. Herein, it is assumed that the distancebetween the location indicated by the location information of the userterminal 200 and the airfield a is longer than the predetermineddistance. In this case, the unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424selects an unmanned aerial vehicle which captures the image around thelocation indicated by the location information of the user terminal 200out of the unmanned aerial vehicles B and D.

Then, when a time period in which the image around the locationindicated by the location information of the user terminal 200 is to becaptured is a daytime, the unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424selects an unmanned aerial vehicle which captures the image around thelocation indicated by the location information of the user terminal 200from among unmanned aerial vehicles to which an RGB camera is mounted.On the other hand, when the time period in which the image around thelocation indicated by the location information of the user terminal 200is to be captured is a nighttime, the unmanned aerial vehicle controlunit 424 selects an unmanned aerial vehicle which captures the imagearound the location indicated by the location information of the userterminal 200 from among unmanned aerial vehicles to which an infraredcamera is mounted. Herein, it is assumed that the time period in whichthe image around the location indicated by the location information ofthe user terminal 200 is to be captured is a nighttime. In this case,the unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424 selects the unmanned aerialvehicle D as the unmanned aerial vehicle which captures the image aroundthe location indicated by the location information of the user terminal200.

The unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424 selects the unmanned aerialvehicle according to the distance between the location indicated by thelocation information of the user terminal 200 and the airfield or thetime period in which the image around the location indicated by thelocation information of the user terminal 200 is to be captured. Thus,the captured image around the location indicated by the locationinformation of the user terminal 200 can be collected by using theoptimal unmanned aerial vehicle 300.

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates an example of a flow of processing bythe control device 400. In FIG. 6 , a description will be provided wherea state in which the flying object 100 provides the wirelesscommunication service to the user terminal 200 is set as a start state.

In step (step may be abbreviated and described as S) 102, the controldevice 400 determines whether the location information reception unit414 receives the rescue signal from the user terminal 200. When thelocation information reception unit 414 receives the rescue signal, theimage capturing decision unit 436 decides that the image around thelocation indicated by the location information which is included in therescue signal is to be captured, and the flow proceeds to S114. When thelocation information reception unit 414 does not receive the rescuesignal, the flow proceeds to S104.

In S104, the control device 400 determines whether the locationinformation reception unit 414 receives the location information of theuser terminal 200 from the user terminal 200. When the locationinformation reception unit 414 receives the location information of theuser terminal 200, the flow proceeds to S106. When the locationinformation reception unit 414 does not receive the location informationof the user terminal 200, the flow returns to S102.

In S106, the detection device control unit 418 transmits the detectioncontrol information to the flying object 100. In S108, the controldevice 400 determines whether the detection information reception unit422 receives, from the flying object 100, the detection informationindicating the state of the detection area 126 which includes thelocation indicated by the location information of the user terminal 200.When the detection information reception unit 422 receives the detectioninformation, the flow proceeds to S110.

In S110, the disaster situation identification unit 434 identifies adisaster situation of the detection area 126 based on the detectioninformation received by the detection information reception unit 422. InS112, the image capturing decision unit 436 decides whether the imagearound the location indicated by the location information of the userterminal 200 which is received by the location information receptionunit 414 is to be captured based on the disaster situation identified bythe disaster situation identification unit 434. When the location isincluded in the disaster region, for example, the image capturingdecision unit 436 decides that the image around the location is to becaptured. When the image capturing decision unit 436 decides that theimage capturing is to be performed, the flow proceeds to S114. When theimage capturing decision unit 436 decides that the image capturing isnot to be performed, the processing is ended.

In S114, the unmanned aerial vehicle control unit 424 controls theunmanned aerial vehicle 300 to capture the image around the locationindicated by the location information of the user terminal 200. Thecaptured image reception unit 428 receives a captured image from theunmanned aerial vehicle 300. The rescue method decision unit 430 decidesa rescue method based on the captured image received by the capturedimage reception unit 428. Then, the processing is ended.

In the processing illustrated in FIG. 6 , whether the image around thelocation indicated by the location information of the user terminal 200is to be captured is decided according to the disaster situationidentified by the disaster situation identification unit 434. Thus, thecaptured image around the location indicated by the location informationof the user terminal 200 of the user 250 who requires the prompt rescuecan be preferentially collected.

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates an example of a hardware configurationof a computer 1200 that functions as the control device 400. Programsinstalled in the computer 1200 can cause the computer 1200 to functionas one or more “units” of the device according to the present embodimentor can cause the computer 1200 to execute operations associated with thedevices according to the present embodiment or the one or more “units”,and/or can cause the computer 1200 to execute a process according to thepresent embodiment or steps of the process. Such a program may beexecuted by a CPU 1212 to cause the computer 1200 to perform particularoperations associated with some or all of the blocks in the flowchartsand block diagrams described in the specification.

The computer 1200 according to the present embodiment includes the CPU1212, a RAM 1214, and a graphics controller 1216, which are connected toeach other via a host controller 1210. The computer 1200 also includes acommunication interface 1222, a storage device 1224, a DVD drive 1226,and an input/output unit such as an IC card drive, which are connectedto the host controller 1210 via an input/output controller 1220. The DVDdrive 1226 may be a DVD-ROM drive, a DVD-RAM drive, and the like. Thestorage device 1224 may be a hard disk drive, a solid-state drive, andthe like. The computer 1200 also includes legacy input/output units suchas a ROM 1230 and a keyboard 1242, which are connected to theinput/output controller 1220 through an input/output chip 1240.

The CPU 1212 operates according to the programs stored in the ROM 1230and the RAM 1214, thereby controlling each unit. The graphics controller1216 obtains image data which is generated by the CPU 1212 in a framebuffer or the like provided in the RAM 1214 or in itself so as to causethe image data to be displayed on a display device 1218.

The communication interface 1222 communicates with other electronicdevices via a network. The storage device 1224 stores a program and dataused by the CPU 1212 in the computer 1200. The DVD drive 1226 reads theprograms or the data from the DVD-ROM 1227 or the like, and provides thestorage device 1224 with the programs or the data. The IC card drivereads programs and data from an IC card and/or writes programs and datainto the IC card.

The ROM 1230 stores therein a boot program or the like executed by thecomputer 1200 at the time of activation, and/or a program depending onthe hardware of the computer 1200. The input/output chip 1240 may alsoconnect various input/output units via a USB port, a parallel port, aserial port, a keyboard port, a mouse port or the like to theinput/output controller 1220.

A program is provided by a computer readable storage medium such as theDVD-ROM 1227 or the IC card. The program is read from the computerreadable storage medium, installed into the storage device 1224, RAM1214, or ROM 1230, which are also examples of a computer readablestorage medium, and executed by the CPU 1212. Information processingwritten in these programs is read by the computer 1200, and providescooperation between the programs and the various types of hardwareresources described above. A device or method may be constituted byrealizing the operation or processing of information in accordance withthe usage of the computer 1200.

For example, in a case where a communication is performed between thecomputer 1200 and an external device, the CPU 1212 may execute acommunication program loaded in the RAM 1214 and instruct thecommunication interface 1222 to perform communication processing basedon a process written in the communication program. The communicationinterface 1222, under control of the CPU 1212, reads transmission datastored on a transmission buffer region provided in a recording mediumsuch as the RAM 1214, the storage device 1224, the DVD-ROM 1227, or theIC card, and transmits the read transmission data to a network or writesreception data received from a network to a reception buffer region orthe like provided on the recording medium.

In addition, the CPU 1212 may cause all or a necessary portion of a fileor a database to be read into the RAM 1214, the file or the databasehaving been stored in an external recording medium such as the storagedevice 1224, the DVD drive 1226 (DVD-ROM 1227), the IC card, etc., andperform various types of processing on the data on the RAM 1214. Then,the CPU 1212 may write the processed data back in the external recordingmedium.

Various types of information such as various types of programs, data,tables, and databases may be stored in a recording medium and subjectedto information processing. The CPU 1212 may execute, on the data readfrom the RAM 1214, various types of processing including various typesof operations, information processing, conditional judgement,conditional branching, unconditional branching, informationretrieval/replacement, or the like described throughout the presentdisclosure and specified by instruction sequences of the programs, towrite the results back to the RAM 1214. In addition, the CPU 1212 mayretrieve information in a file, a database, or the like in the recordingmedium. For example, when a plurality of entries, each having anattribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute valueof a second attribute, are stored in the recording medium, the CPU 1212may search for an entry whose attribute value of the first attributematches a designated condition, from among the plurality of entries, andread the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry,thereby obtaining the attribute value of the second attribute associatedwith the first attribute satisfying a predetermined condition.

The programs or software module described above may be stored on thecomputer 1200 or in a computer readable storage medium near the computer1200. In addition, a recording medium such as a hard disk or a RAMprovided in a server system connected to a dedicated communicationnetwork or the Internet can be used as the computer readable storagemedium, thereby providing the program to the computer 1200 via thenetwork.

Blocks in flowcharts and block diagrams in the present embodiments mayrepresent steps of processes in which operations are performed or“units” of devices responsible for performing operations. A particularstep and “unit” may be implemented by dedicated circuitry, programmablecircuitry supplied along with a computer readable instruction stored ona computer readable storage medium, and/or a processor supplied alongwith the computer readable instruction stored on the computer readablestorage medium. The dedicated circuitry may include a digital and/oranalog hardware circuit, or may include an integrated circuit (IC)and/or a discrete circuit. The programmable circuitry may include, forexample, a reconfigurable hardware circuit including logical AND,logical OR, logical XOR, logical NAND, logical NOR, and other logicaloperations, and a flip-flop, a register, and a memory element, such as afield-programmable gate array (FPGA) and a programmable logic array(PLA).

The computer readable storage medium may include any tangible devicecapable of storing an instruction performed by an appropriate device, sothat the computer readable storage medium having the instruction storedthereon constitutes a product including an instruction that may beperformed in order to provide means for performing an operationspecified by a flowchart or a block diagram. An example of the computerreadable storage medium may include an electronic storage medium, amagnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, an electromagneticstorage medium, or a semiconductor storage medium. More specificexamples of the computer readable storage medium may include a floppy(registered trademark) disk, a diskette, a hard disk, a random accessmemory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable readonly memory (EPROM or flash memory), an electrically erasableprogrammable read only memory (EEPROM), a static random access memory(SRAM), a compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatiledisk (DVD), a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disk, a memory stick, anintegrated circuit card, or the like.

The computer readable instruction may include an assembler instruction,an instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instruction, a machineinstruction, a machine dependent instruction, a microcode, a firmwareinstruction, state-setting data, or either of source code or object codewritten in any combination of one or more programming languagesincluding an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk(registered trademark), JAVA (registered trademark), and C++, and aconventional procedural programming language such as a “C” programminglanguage or a similar programming language.

The computer readable instruction may be provided to a general purposecomputer, a special purpose computer, or a processor or programmablecircuitry of another programmable data processing device locally or viaa local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as theInternet or the like in order that the general purpose computer, thespecial purpose computer, or the processor or the programmable circuitryof the other programmable data processing device performs the computerreadable instruction to provide means for performing operationsspecified by the flowchart or the block diagram. Examples of theprocessor include a computer processor, a processing unit, amicroprocessor, a digital signal processor, a controller, amicrocontroller, and the like.

While the present invention has been described by way of theembodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limitedto the above described embodiments. It is apparent to persons skilled inthe art that various alterations or improvements can be added to theabove described embodiments. It is also apparent from the scope of theclaims that the embodiments added with such alterations or improvementscan be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

The operations, procedures, steps, and stages of each process performedby an apparatus, system, program, and method shown in the claims,embodiments, or diagrams can be performed in any order as long as theorder is not indicated by “prior to,” “before,” or the like and as longas the output from a previous process is not used in a later process.Even if the process flow is described using phrases such as “first” or“next” in the claims, embodiments, or diagrams, it does not necessarilymean that the process must be performed in this order.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCES

10: system; 20: core network; 40: Internet; 50: radio base station; 60:communication satellite; 100: flying object; 101: main wing portion;102: main body portion; 104: propeller; 110: solar cell panel; 112:antenna; 114: antenna; 116: detection device; 122: wirelesscommunication area; 126: detection area; 150: communication device; 200:user terminal; 250: user; 300: unmanned aerial vehicle; 302: receptionunit; 304: control unit; 306: image capturing unit; 308: detection unit;310: transmission unit; 350: camera; 400: control device; 402: storageunit; 404: deactivated base station information reception unit; 406:target point setting unit; 408: movement control unit; 410:communication device control unit; 414: location information receptionunit; 416: environment information reception unit; 418: detection devicecontrol unit; 422: detection information reception unit; 424: unmannedaerial vehicle control unit; 428: captured image reception unit; 430:rescue method decision unit; 432: rescue method information transmissionunit; 434: disaster situation identification unit; 436: image capturingdecision unit; 500: gateway; 600: rescue agencies; 1200: computer; 1210:host controller; 1212: CPU; 1214: RAM; 1216: graphics controller; 1218:display device; 1220: input/output controller; 1222: communicationinterface; 1224: storage device; 1226: DVD drive; 1227: DVD-ROM; 1230:ROM; 1240: input/output chip; 1242: keyboard.

What is claimed is:
 1. A control device comprising: a locationinformation reception unit which receives, via a communication devicewhich is mounted to a flying object functioning as a stratosphericplatform and forms a wireless communication area by beam irradiation toprovide a wireless communication service to a user terminal in thewireless communication area, location information of the user terminalfrom the user terminal in the wireless communication area; a detectiondevice control unit which controls a detection device of the flyingobject to detect a state of a region including a location indicated bythe location information; a detection information reception unit whichreceives, via the communication device, detection information indicatingthe state of the region which is detected by the detection device; anunmanned aerial vehicle control unit which controls an unmanned aerialvehicle to capture an image around the location indicated by thelocation information by an image capturing unit of the unmanned aerialvehicle based on the detection information received by the detectioninformation reception unit; a captured image reception unit whichreceives a captured image captured by the image capturing unit from theunmanned aerial vehicle; and a rescue method decision unit which decidesa rescue method of rescuing a user of the user terminal based on thecaptured image received by the captured image reception unit.
 2. Thecontrol device according to claim 1, comprising a storage unit whichstores environment information related to an environment of the locationindicated by the location information, wherein the rescue methoddecision unit decides the rescue method further based on the environmentinformation stored in the storage unit.
 3. The control device accordingto claim 1, wherein the rescue method decision unit decides a movableobject to be used to rescue the user.
 4. The control device according toclaim 2, wherein the rescue method decision unit decides a movableobject to be used to rescue the user.
 5. The control device according toclaim 1, wherein the rescue method decision unit decides a movement pathto be used to rescue the user.
 6. The control device according to claim2, wherein the rescue method decision unit decides a movement path to beused to rescue the user.
 7. The control device according to claim 5,wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle control unit controls the unmannedaerial vehicle to lead the user when the user moves on the movement pathdecided by the rescue method decision unit.
 8. The control deviceaccording to claim 1, comprising a disaster situation identificationunit which identifies a disaster situation of the region based on thedetection information received by the detection information receptionunit, and comprising a communication device control unit which controlsthe communication device not to form the wireless communication area ina region where the disaster situation identified by the disastersituation identification unit does not satisfy a predeterminedcondition, but to form the wireless communication area in a region wherethe condition is satisfied.
 9. The control device according to claim 2,comprising a disaster situation identification unit which identifies adisaster situation of the region based on the detection informationreceived by the detection information reception unit, and comprising acommunication device control unit which controls the communicationdevice not to form the wireless communication area in a region where thedisaster situation identified by the disaster situation identificationunit does not satisfy a predetermined condition, but to form thewireless communication area in a region where the condition issatisfied.
 10. The control device according to claim 1, comprising adisaster situation identification unit which identifies a disastersituation of the region based on the detection information received bythe detection information reception unit, and comprising an imagecapturing decision unit which decides whether the image around thelocation indicated by the location information is to be captured basedon the disaster situation identified by the disaster situationidentification unit, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle control unitcontrols the unmanned aerial vehicle in response to decision by theimage capturing decision unit that the image around the locationindicated by the location information is to be captured.
 11. The controldevice according to claim 2, comprising a disaster situationidentification unit which identifies a disaster situation of the regionbased on the detection information received by the detection informationreception unit, and comprising an image capturing decision unit whichdecides whether the image around the location indicated by the locationinformation is to be captured based on the disaster situation identifiedby the disaster situation identification unit, wherein the unmannedaerial vehicle control unit controls the unmanned aerial vehicle inresponse to decision by the image capturing decision unit that the imagearound the location indicated by the location information is to becaptured.
 12. The control device according to claim 10, wherein thelocation information reception unit receives a rescue signal includingthe location information of the user terminal from the user terminal,and the image capturing decision unit decides that the image around thelocation indicated by the location information is to be captured whenthe location information reception unit receives the rescue signal. 13.The control device according to claim 1, comprising a rescue methodinformation transmission unit which transmits rescue method informationindicating the rescue method decided by the rescue method decision unitto the user terminal via the communication device.
 14. The controldevice according to claim 2, comprising a rescue method informationtransmission unit which transmits rescue method information indicatingthe rescue method decided by the rescue method decision unit to the userterminal via the communication device.
 15. The control device accordingto claim 1, wherein the detection device includes an image capturingdevice, the detection device control unit performs control to capture animage of the region by the image capturing device, and the detectioninformation reception unit receives a captured image captured by theimage capturing device.
 16. The control device according to claim 1,wherein the detection device includes an SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar),the detection device control unit controls the SAR to detect the stateof the region, and the detection information reception unit receives thedetection information indicating the state of the region which isdetected by the SAR.
 17. The control device according to claim 1,wherein the control device is mounted to the flying object.
 18. Aprogram which causes a computer to function as: a location informationreception unit which receives, via a communication device which ismounted to a flying object functioning as a stratospheric platform andforms a wireless communication area by beam irradiation to provide awireless communication service to a user terminal in the wirelesscommunication area, location information of the user terminal from theuser terminal in the wireless communication area; a detection devicecontrol unit which controls a detection device of the flying object todetect a state of a region including a location indicated by thelocation information; a detection information reception unit whichreceives, via the communication device, detection information indicatingthe state of the region which is detected by the detection device; anunmanned aerial vehicle control unit which controls an unmanned aerialvehicle to capture an image around the location indicated by thelocation information by an image capturing unit of the unmanned aerialvehicle based on the detection information received by the detectioninformation reception unit; a captured image reception unit whichreceives a captured image captured by the image capturing unit from theunmanned aerial vehicle; and a rescue method decision unit which decidesa rescue method of rescuing a user of the user terminal based on thecaptured image received by the captured image reception unit.
 19. Asystem comprising: a control device; and a flying object functioning asa stratospheric platform, wherein the control device has a locationinformation reception unit which receives, via a communication devicewhich is mounted to the flying object and forms a wireless communicationarea by beam irradiation to provide a wireless communication service toa user terminal in the wireless communication area, location informationof the user terminal from the user terminal in the wirelesscommunication area, a detection device control unit which controls adetection device of the flying object to detect a state of a regionincluding a location indicated by the location information, a detectioninformation reception unit which receives, via the communication device,detection information indicating the state of the region which isdetected by the detection device, an unmanned aerial vehicle controlunit which controls an unmanned aerial vehicle to capture an imagearound the location indicated by the location information by an imagecapturing unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the detectioninformation received by the detection information reception unit, acaptured image reception unit which receives a captured image capturedby the image capturing unit from the unmanned aerial vehicle, and arescue method decision unit which decides a rescue method of rescuing auser of the user terminal based on the captured image received by thecaptured image reception unit.
 20. A method executed by a computer, themethod comprising: receiving, via a communication device which ismounted to a flying object functioning as a stratospheric platform andforms a wireless communication area by beam irradiation to provide awireless communication service to a user terminal in the wirelesscommunication area, location information of the user terminal from theuser terminal in the wireless communication area; controlling detectionby controlling a detection device of the flying object to detect a stateof a region including a location indicated by the location information;receiving, via the communication device, detection informationindicating the state of the region which is detected by the detectiondevice; controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle to capture an imagearound the location indicated by the location information by an imagecapturing unit of the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the detectioninformation received in the receiving the detection information;receiving a captured image captured by the image capturing unit from theunmanned aerial vehicle; and deciding a rescue method of rescuing a userof the user terminal based on the captured image received in thereceiving the captured image.